Kagura no Tamago
by Miss. Miyazawa
Summary: A boiled egg directed at Yuki's cheek leads to more complications and drama than either of them could have anticipated. But among the tears and difficulties, is there room for love to blossom? Kagura x Yuki
1. First Egg

Disclaimer: I do not own Fruits Basket.

_X X X X X X_

It was completely unpredictable. Just like the incident's owner.

When the object rocketed towards his cheek, Yuki couldn't do a thing. He could only--

_Whap!_

--turn his cheek upon impact.

The room was hauntingly silent like a graveyard during witching hours. Tohru, with her long hair done in pigtails, froze, hand at her mouth, eyes wide. The platter of riceballs in her possession quietly slipped from her grip. Kyo looked as if he were going to say something, but his mouth had locked into a blob, smart-ass comments dropping dead on his tongue. Or at least that was what Yuki assumed; the former Cat seemed capable only of making stupid, useless commentary. Shigure was a statue, pale and scared. (What was he so scared of? Yuki was the one who was supposed to be scared, not him. _He_ wasn't the one in the line of fire right now.)

And that fire was of course sizzling from the reigning queen of recklessness and violence. Who else could it be but his cousin Kagura? She stood before him perfectly still, hands curled into shaking fists, legs spread firmly apart as if she would charge for him, a skin-melting glare in her eyes. He never thought he would have to endure _that_ glare from those fiery eyes which were set like small glittering stones in her red face. A snarl made a snack out of her shapely lips. Yuki swore he could point out a vein simmering on her forehead.

Even Kyo could see that this was not a good sign.

Swapping moods as easily as one trades hats, Kagura raised her chin, removed the blood from her cheeks and gave him a cool, haughty stare.

"My egg's done," she said simply before spinning on her heel and switching her way into the kitchen.

As if Kagura's exit was the button pressed for sound, noise swirled around him.

"Ah! Um-- Y--Yuki-kun, are you okay?"

A lame chuckle. "You don't have much luck with the ladies, do you Yuki."

"Why didn't you duck?!" This was from an astonished Kyo. Yuki's martial arts skills were superior to Kyo's even though they had trained under the same shishou, so it was understandable for him to think that his reflexes should've been in working order. But who knew what the day's events held when Kagura was around?

"I'm not psychic, idiot," Yuki shot back with a one-eyed glare.

Tohru ducked down so that they were face to face. She whipped out a handkerchief and began wiping up his face. "You're hurt!" she exclaimed when most of the splatter was cleaned from his cheek. She stood. "I'll have to get the emergency kit!"

Yuki grabbed her hand when she turned to go. "I'm fine, Honda-san," he replied, although his face said otherwise. "There's no need for you to trouble yourself. I'm not hurt at all." He knew that bandages wasn't all that was on her mind. It was his duty to keep the gentle girl out of the line of fire. He should be the only one to get burned, not her.

Tohru violently shook her head. "Your face might swell up. In fact, it looks a little swollen now."

"It's not that bad."

"Even so..."

Yuki sighed. Could he stop her? No. Not when her eyes gleamed with so much determination and worry. And anyway, it wasn't like Yuki was really worried that Kagura would hit Tohru. She wasn't a fool. _Even though I played her for one_, he thought grimly.

Yuki tried his best to smile. "Okay," he assented. He let go of her hand. "Just be careful."

With a fierce nod as if she were going in to face off against a dragon, Tohru said, "You can count on me." She walked into the kitchen.

Yuki evaluated the damage done to himself. Kagura had hurled a boiled egg at him, which had exploded when it hit his cheek. Bits of chalky yolk chewed into his eye. The congealed egg white flecked the wall behind him, as well as the side of his face. Yellow and white mush that looked like throw up slobbered on his shirt. Luckily the shell hadn't gotten into his eyes, but that didn't change the fact that his eye stung, his cheek hurt like hell and he had a very emotional woman angry at him. The day was shaping up to be a very sucky one.

Yuki swiped at his bangs. Bits of Kagura's egg confettied down to the floor. How festive. Not. Yuki groaned. First he had to clean himself off. Then he had to talk to Kagura.

The mild-mannered boy stood up and swept girlish feathery hands over his brown pants. Some stubborn egg stains remained, but there was nothing he could do about it until laundry day. He'd just wear a new pair of slacks and change his shirt while he was at it.

His attention swerved to the present. Voices rushed into his ears. He discovered just now that Kyo and Shigure were talking. Or arguing. Yuki shrugged. He didn't care. Seventeen years, and Kyo was still the same brash, loud, obnoxious brat he always was. Except he was, just a tiny bit... softer. Changed. They all were.

Kyo's voice chased him as he bounded up the stairs.

"What's eating him?"

_X X X X X_

Tohru posed shyly by the entranceway. She wrung her hands and looked down at her slippered toes. To be honest, she wasn't sure how to talk to Kagura now. On one hand, the optimist did want to help her, but she valued her life as well.

It was easy to see why Tohru was wary. Back turned and stationed at the sink, the hot-tempered Sohma was angrily washing the dishes. Well, perhaps peeling off the paint from the lovely china described what she was doing better. The water was scorching, as evidenced by the cloud of steam that wrapped around Kagura's head. Loud clangs and clinks sounded off as Kagura ground dish detergent into bowls and plates, washed them off and slammed them into the dish rack. Next came the pot. Still slightly soapy, she threw it in with the rest of the plates, cups and silverware. A pretty white bowl acquired a jagged tear. Tohru winced. Though she couldn't see anything else, she could tell other dishes were dividing into ragged shards.

"Um... Kagura?"

Kagura straightened up. She turned the faucet off and turned around. The grey-eyed woman wiped her soaked hands on her jeans. She took a deep breath, let it whoosh from her lungs and met Tohru's timid gaze. "Yes?" she asked calmly.

Tohru let out a sigh of relief, eyes blissfully closed and a hand over her nervously fluttering heart. Kagura wasn't channeling her anger towards her and she seemed calmer now. Almost calm enough to see Yuki.

_Yuki!_ Tohru had almost forgotten the gentle boy and his injury! Anxiety rumbled around in her stomach. Shaking, she stumbled over to the fridge to fetch a cold glass of water for him. She went into the freezer and found an ice pack. Hm. When had she prepared an ice pack? Had one of the boys done so earlier? Shaking her head in confusion, Tohru turned to face Kagura again. Now that she had had some time to prepare, she had more to say to her besides jumbled phrases and stuttering. The brunette closed the freezer and refrigerator door.

"Um... Why did you...? To Yuki, why did you...?"

Okay, so she didn't have much, but Tohru couldn't really think in this tense atmosphere. Kagura was making her flustered and scared.

Kagura leaned over the sink. She stared up at the ceiling through her bangs and sighed.

"I wanted a boiled egg." Her stomach gave off a quiet rumble. Eyes-to-floor contact. "I'm hungry."

"Oh! Let me!" Tohru hurried to the cabinets and fished out a pot. "Excuse me," she said quietly, bowing. Kagura complied and Tohru filled it with water. "Egg, egg...," she murmured as she shimmied to the fridge.

"No, Tohru-kun, it's fine," she said urgently, a blush flanking both cheeks.

Tohru beamed over her shoulder back at Kagura. "It's fine," she replied sunnily. "I love to cook. And I love boiled eggs. I think I'll make myself one too." Another egg was deposited in the water. Tohru froze and suddenly remembered. She snapped back up, a hand smacked to her cheek, nearly dropping the pot in the process. "Oh! My riceballs!" she worried. "I--I left them on the floor! And they're--" She gasped. "Oh, no! I let Shigure-san and Kyo-kun stay there and watch such a mess! Ohmygoodness, what am I going to do?" she vented. "I've failed in my duties to be a good housekeeper and cook! No good cook lets their food just lie on the floor!! Such shame! How can I face them now?!"

Kagura laughed gently. "I'll handle it," she offered. Before Tohru could stutter out a rebuttal, Kagura ventured back into the living room.

She came back, riceballs in hand. "They looked at me like I was going to bite their heads off." She chuckled weakly. She lowered her eyes in shame. "Can't blame 'em really." She paused by the rubbish bin. "I don't want to throw these out. Your riceballs are delicious. Seems like a waste of hard work."

"It's fine. I made extras!"

After a considerable amount of time, the eggs were finally ready to eat. The two took fragile bowls, sat down with silverware, salt and pepper, and began to eat.

Kagura neatly speared a rubbery egg with the side of her spoon."Tohru-kun, can I ask you a question?"

"Huh? Oh, um... Go ahead, Kagura-san," Tohru blustered.

A testing silence to see if it was really okay, then came her inquisition. "How could you stand it?"

Tohru was genuinely confused, as usual. "Pardon?" she asked.

Back. Forth. Back. Forth. Kagura nervously swung her eyes to and fro over the wiped clean table. "You loved Kyo, right, Tohru-kun? But he ended up going out with your friend. And they're... happy together," she said in wonder as if she couldn't believe it. "Your friend and him... Isn't it like a betrayal on both sides?!" Her eyes snapped up almost angrily. "How could you stand it? How can you stand it? If it were me, I'd be furious! But you're... You're..."

"Okay with it?" Tohru guessed.

Kagura nodded.

Tohru closed her eyes and sighed. She lifted the spoon to her lips and ate. The yolk was delicious and soft. A pain dove into her heart. How could she explain the depth of her hurt? Sometimes Tohru did feel upset over it, but she couldn't be angry. Not at Arisa, who'd had such a tough life, or Kyo, who had faced through similar pain. To be honest, she thought they were perfect together. They knew each other so well. They were so alike. They just... made sense together. She opened her eyes and smiled. "I was... upset at first," she admitted. "I wanted to cry and scream because it felt like my heart was shattering."

She looked at the gentle girl in shock. "You? Cry? Scream?" Such actions didn't seem possible at all for the sunny girl.

Tohru smiled sadly. "Yes," she confessed in a tiny voice. "I felt so awful. B--But probably not as bad as you felt about Kyo!!" she added in a startled tone, her face flushing bright red. "I'm not comparing my pain to yours at all!! I couldn't possibly imagine how it must have been like for you. I mean, you loved him practically your whole life! So--uhm... I--I--I'm really sorry, Kagura-san!! Please, I meant no offense!"

Kagura placed a comforting hand atop hers. She smiled. "It doesn't matter how long you love someone. Love is love regardless. Please don't feel like you've offended me and please go on."

Calmed to some degree, Tohru proceeded with her story. "But you know, they love each other so much. Uo-chan and Kyo-kun are so happy together. Yes, they bicker sometimes and disagree often, but they're both so energetic and fiery!" Talking about them lifted her spirits a little. With dreamy eyes, she smiled up at the ceiling, smiling in her mind at a vision of Kyo and Uo walking hand-in-hand. "They're so much like each other, it's amazing. They understand each other, can confide in each other, love and need each other. And in the face of their love, can I show a crying face?" Tohru placed a hand on her head, head bowed and shaking no. "No. Only here. I'll cry only in my heart."

Kagura looked down with shame. "I'm not like that at all," she said. "I can't forgive as easily as you, or be as happy and cheerful as you. I think I'd die if I didn't express myself. So... With Yuki... I'm really sorry for what I did!" Her eyes welled with tears.

Tohru nearly jumped back at the change in mood. Kagura sure was unpredictable.

"Tohru-kun, can I tell you something?"

"Sure. Anything, Kagura, you can tell me anything. I'll keep your secrets and I'm here if you need to confide in me."

She smiled. "Thank you." She took a deep breath. "IthinkIminlovewithYunchan."

Tohru frowned. "I'm sorry, what?"

"I… love him. Yun-chan." Tears gushed from her eyes. "I really love him!"

Needless to say, Tohru was shocked. Throwing eggs at someone you loved? That was unheard of, although the violently passionate woman had done worse things in the name of love, like throwing Kyo down flights of stairs. "You do?" she asked hesitantly, careful not to let any doubt creep into her voice.

Kagura sighed. Tohru didn't believe her; she detected the doubt in her voice. Kagura folded her hands nervously over the table. Her stomach was turning so much. She couldn't even think about stomaching another bite of boiled egg. But she didn't want to upset her friend. She took a tiny bite anyway. "I don't know if you knew this, but Yuki and I were going out for a while."

"Really?!"

She bit back a sigh. To say that Tohru was dense was, well... an understatement. "He and I were going out secretly," she said, which was partly the truth. "I guess I should start with Kyo. I met up with him one last time to really give him up, to tell him the truth. When I saw his true form for the first time, I couldn't handle it. I ran away. I was... so scared!" Kagura closed her eyes, shoulders shaking under her new turquoise designer sweater. She started to cry again. She couldn't help it. The way she'd acted back then... it sickened her. "And I felt bad about it. I still feel bad about it. Back then, I forced myself on Kyo, calling it love when really it was a way to atone for abandoning him. That was the dirty me I wanted to wash away. So I thought that if I loved a monster, if I devoted myself to him, if I said, 'I don't care. I love him no matter what he does or what he is...,' then I could be a better person. It was just to make myself seem... better than the beast."

Kagura opened her eyes. Tohru sat there in shock. She couldn't blame her. It was a terrifying story of selfishness and greed. "Does it seem surprising? Even you must hate me."

"I don't!" When she gave the younger girl a dubious look, she insisted, "Not at all! I think it's really brave of you to have told Kyo something so important. It isn't healthy to bottle everything up inside. That was what Mom always said."

"Even though I pushed myself to love him, I think a part of me really did love him. Even if it's selfish, I still believe that. Thank you, Tohru-chan. You must be sick of hearing that from me, but really, thank you.

"But I'll get back to the point. It was the same with Yun-chan. After Kyo, I was still hurting, really hurting. And Yun-chan, he was sad too. He had problems with his girlfriend, Machi-san. He didn't really talk much about their relationship, or why they broke up, but I could tell from hearing bits and pieces from others and him that he loved her very much. They were like each other, lost and lonely. And the break-up, Yuki was even more lost and lonely than before. So we just... gravitated to each other.

"First it started with talking. Nothing really special, like heart-to-hearts or anything, but we just... talked. Then the discussions got longer. I would talk about Kyo. He would mourn over Machi. You know, he said," Kagura started to tear up again to her dismay, "he said she was the one who understood him best. She was the only one who really _cared_ about him. I felt so terrible hearing that. This girl knew more about him than his own cousin. And then I realized just how little I did know about him. So, after a while, uh... we started... dating. We didn't really do anything!" she frantically told her. "We only kissed once, and it felt kinda weird, so we stopped. And we only hugged once too. Mostly we just talked, held hands, acted as each other's support, that sort of thing.

"After a while, I started to get over Kyo, but for Yun-chan, it wasn't so easy for him to forget Machi. I knew it was wrong in the first place, using him as a rebound guy. That's not the proper way to let go of someone, by forcing a person in a break-up to chose you as the only one to turn to. But I couldn't stop. And after a while, holding him, listening to his words, giving him advice like I was the expert on love, I felt... good. And I started to think, _Someone needs me. Someone depends on me. Why should I stop this if it'll only hurt him?_ That was my defense, but really I just did it for myself. I was the veteran and his wounds were still fresh and bleeding. I felt superior and strong. And after a while, I even began to look down on him. _**Why is he crying so much? Did she mean that much to him? From what I've heard, she didn't seem all that special.**_ Those were the dark thoughts I began to have.

"Then I realized Yuki's true strength. The "weakness" I once scorned transformed into courage. Because boys aren't supposed to show their feelings or cry in any society and yet he wasn't afraid to be open with me. Soon, his tears dried. His voice became healthy and strong instead of sickly and weak. And that wasn't the only change. He looked taller to me, his shoulders more strong and broad. It's probably been happening for a long time, but for the first time, I was seeing Yuki as a man. And that's when I paid more attention to his graceful walk, the swing of his beautiful wisteria hair, his wide amethyst eyes, his fair skin. Before I knew it, I fell in love with him. I love him. I love him!" Kagura slammed her head on the table and cried.

Tohru jumped a little in her seat. The "Kagura, are you okay?!" she sputtered barely grazed her ears. She could only hear her own sobs. "I'm a big fool for falling so hard for him. I wonder if it's genuine at all. Am I just loving him to make myself seem more charitable? But somehow, I just know that can't be the reason. I'm such a bitch. He knows about how I loved Kyo partly to atone for the mistakes I made when we were younger, but he never linked our relationship to my sin. He's too kind, too good for me.

"Lately he started avoiding me. And I felt so angry and upset and hurt, like I'd been betrayed. So today I just snapped. I wanted to make him look at me, so I threw... an egg at him." Kagura paled. She dragged her head up. Tohru shrieked, but she went on, "Jesus! I threw an egg at him!! What the hell is my problem?! I can't face him now! I acted like a goddamn little kid! No wonder he started avoiding me. I'm too unpredictable and quick to anger, even after all this time. W--What should I do?! Oh, God. Yuki!" Kagura leaned forward to give Tohru the third degree. "How is he?! Is he mad?! What am I saying, of course he's mad. Is he okay? He isn't hurt, is he?! You know, Kazuma-shihan said I have a good right arm. He used to joke that I could be a baseball player. He even said I'd end up taking his job one day!" She grabbed the front of Tohru's apron and roughly jerked her back and forth. "What should I do, Tohru, what should I do?! What if he's really hurt because of me?"

"I feel dizzy...," Tohru said, her eyes turning into spirals. She came back to earth once she caught another sight of the blood. "Kagura-san, you're bleeding!!"

Kagura dropped her unceremoniously back into her seat to place two fingers to her brow. "I am?" She gasped when the test came back positive. Her scarlet-dabbed fingers shook. "Is Yuki bleeding?! Is he bleeding a lot?!"

Tohru's eyes widened in shock. "Yuki-kun!!" she exclaimed as she jumped to her feet. She looked over at the baggie she'd left on the counter. "The ice pack!" she screamed. "And the emergency kit!" Her head turned. "And the glass of water!"

Kagura placed a hand on Tohru's shoulder. "I'll take care of things," she promised.

Tohru scrambled to the counter. "No, please, let me!! I promised Yuki I'd take care of him and I failed him. I told him he could count on me and I let him down." She turned around and saw grave determination on Kagura's face. Tohru was surprised. This girl had grown up so much and she hadn't even known. Even her call of "Tohru" sounded so decisive and grown-up. In her name, Kagura had stamped all of her goals. For the first time, Tohru didn't stammer out a protest at her request. She nodded and handed Kagura the ice pack.

"Good luck, Kagura-san."

With blood running down her forehead, she appeared to have gotten a minor scrape in an epic battle. She looked down at her two fingers intensely, as if she could see something written in the bloody fingerprints. Kagura slowly raised her arm and dramatically swiped her fingers over her cheekbone, then did the same for her left cheek. Like a warrior on a dangerous mission, Kagura nodded back and walked purposefully towards her goal.

The view of her back, shoulders thrown behind her and her spine erect, sent shivers up Tohru's spine.

_This is just like a historic drama_, Tohru thought, eyes starry and a hand to her red cheek as she watched her leave.

_X X X X X X_

The tub's faucet was on full blast as he ducked low and scrubbed his shirt. It was just an excuse, of course. He really didn't care much about his shirt. He cared about his life. Because if Kagura was furious enough to throw an egg at him, who knew what else she'd be willing to throw in her fury. Yuki shuddered at the remembrance of a ten-year-old Kyo in a full body cast. He had no desire to be thrown down a flight of stairs... or from the roof. He wouldn't put it past her to drag his sorry ass to the highest part of the house and hurl him to the unforgiving ground.

Water splashed up from the thick stream and hit his bare arms and chest. One drop went into his newly-cleaned, egg-free eye. He closed it. His eye stung just a little, but he'd be just fine. And his cheek would recover... maybe. Yuki winced as he cradled the side of his face. It did feel a little swollen. Or maybe Tohru's prognosis had made him paranoid. _Speaking of which, where is Ms. Honda?_ he wondered. Perhaps Tohru hadn't been able to handle the situation and Kagura was breaking her back over her knee at this very moment. Yuki shuddered. No, that couldn't be. That would be just too cruel.

Realizing that something was blocking the drain, he turned the faucet off lest he flood the bathroom. But instead of removing the blockage, he stared down sadly at his blurred reflection.

Machi's face swam in his memories. He had loved her with everything in him and more and yet that hadn't been good enough. The quiet, solemn girl who thought she was unexciting ended up being the most thrilling person Yuki had ever known. Well, besides her half-brother Kakeru of course. Every facial gesture, every movement, every word held Yuki captive. He loved making her happy and showing her new things and experiences. He thought back to that time when the Student Council had gone out and he had met Machi alone for a few minutes. Her blushing stammering face as she tried to explain that the red maple leaf he had given her was a burden yet wasn't so at the same time was priceless. Yuki thought she was so cute.

As he got to know her, he learned all about her past: the tribulations Machi faced, the competition she had been thrown into against her sibling, that lingering self-loathing. Machi had had a tough life. She was just like him. Yuki had his insecurities too and worried that he was boring. Together, they rejuvenated each other's withered spirits and gave each other a purpose. Ayame had once sang that the lovely Machi-hime was Yuki's _raison d'être_, his reason to be. Ayame was always saying embarrassing things like that, but funny how back then Yuki had just chuckled. His brother hadn't known how right he was.

When Yuki and Machi started going out, it made him the happiest person in the world. Machi's love was genuine and she was starting to really open up to him. Likewise, he began to confide in her as well. He couldn't believe it. She loved him and he... He would die for her. He never thought his feelings could reach such a level of intensity. It scared the shit out of him and thrilled him all at once. Holding hands, kissing by the river, going out on dates... Beautiful memories to carry with him always.

He hadn't foreseen how much he would need to look back on those times. Because soon all he would have was memories.

Things weren't working out. It didn't matter how much Machi had changed. Deep down, she was still the same little girl full of insecurities. She lost confidence in herself. She began to lose her temper and told him over and over again how she wasn't good enough for him. Yuki wanted to assure her that she did matter, that she was important and loved, very much so, but since Machi didn't accept her own sense of self-worth, none of his words worked.

He decided to move on to actions. He showed her he loved her: he was more affectionate, he hugged her more often, kissed her, took her out more and went out of his way to spend time with her. When that didn't work, he became frantic. He demanded the answer out of her. "Why, why, why?" he always asked. "Why are you like this? What do you want me to do?" But Machi wouldn't answer. She never answered. Frustrated and feeling that a drastic change was needed before they both fell apart, he gave himself to her. He hoped that the ultimate expression of love would make her see she was the most important person in the world to him. He wanted to bridge the canyon that was between them. He missed his smiling, happy Machi so much. But all he got was a hollowing feeling of disgust and guilt. Not for Machi. For himself. Because the morning after, she wouldn't even look at him. She looked so ashamed. All she said after she yanked her clothes on was, "It isn't worth it. Just let me go, Yuki."

Yuki's hand plunged into the water. Dampness of a different sort streamed down his face. Didn't she realize how much those words had hurt him? He understood what she was going through but for her to tell him that she wasn't worth it, that he wasn't worth it, that _they_ weren't worth it had cut him into a million pieces. But he couldn't harden his heart against her. She was his first love after all. How could he hate her when she had given him so much? In the end, Yuki felt terrible for not having done more for her. He wanted to do things over again, make things right, but that wouldn't be fair to Kagura.

_Kagura._ Yuki sighed deeply as he let the water reach his elbow. After Machi, he'd felt as lost as a small child at a department store. He felt so young and naive, so inexperienced. And Kagura, she was hurting too. Yuki always wondered what she'd seen in him. He had changed, sure, but he wasn't bright at all. Nevertheless, Yuki looked towards the older girl as a role model. She was mourning but she always kept her shoulders back, looking at the horizon with such clear eyes. It was as if she saw beautiful things happening in the future. And Yuki so desperately wanted that control, so much that he felt envious. So naturally, he let himself get pulled in by her hopeful smile and clear eyes, hoping that by being around her, one day he would drink in her secret to being happy. Later, when they talked, he found out that her peace was half an act, but he thought that half an act was better than none. He was like a spy on a mission from his aching soul. He would talk with Kagura, observe her and steal her confidence away because honestly, he was a wreck and he needed it more than her. At least that was how he had felt at first.

He never stopped to realize that Kagura's problem was almost exactly like his. He was only thinking of himself and didn't stop to think that Kagura needed bandages too. He figured that she'd gotten through a billion of Kyo's rejections already and this one was no different. She would bounce back. His emotional distress had dulled him to the hardships of others. When he finally confronted himself about this, he felt even more disgusted and ashamed.

As violent and unpredictable as she was, Kagura was a good person. And she had changed a lot. Kagura could hold her temper a little better now and she was a little less emotional. But only a little. She had her good characteristics and her bad traits, but overall Yuki did love her. Of course he did! She was his cousin! And he treasured the time they'd spent together. In those two months, he'd learned more about Kagura than he'd ever known before. He liked having her as a friend, but he couldn't have her as a friend now. Yuki had used her. He felt too dirty for this bright, clean woman. He really admired her. Before, he had deemed her strange but now he thought that she really was strong. Kagura was strong and she was over Kyo anyway. She didn't need him. Even if Yuki was still hurting, he would let her go. He had listened to Machi only when it was too late. He would not punish his cousin the same way.

Yuki placed his hand over his cheek. He wondered why she had gotten so angry. Okay, so ignoring her wasn't the best solution, but he didn't know what to do. How could he hand her another rejection just like that? That would be harsh and unforgivable. The way he had handled things... it was the only thing he could do!

To his surprise, the door swung open.

Kagura was standing in the doorway.


	2. Second Egg

To my gorgeous, wonderful reviewers, I give you all my thanks. Enjoy this chapter of _Kagura no Tamago_!!

Disclaimer: I don't own Fruits Basket.

_X X X X X_

Needless to say, Kagura was startled.

She wasn't prepared for the half-naked man sitting on the lip of the bathtub, face glistening with tears. She was glad she hadn't walked in on him going to the bathroom, or even more embarrassing, completely naked. Kagura flushed a deep, stinging maroon as her eyes greedily and quickly sucked him in. Water flecked his muscled ivory arms and spread faint fingers over his chest. Such a wide, wide chest, bookended between such wide, wide shoulders. _Such a beautiful body..._ She averted her eyes before her thoughts went any further.

Yuki fixed her with a piercing glare after he got over his shock. He angrily swiped at his cheeks so that they were somewhat dry. "What do you want?" he barked.

Kagura flinched. Such a cruel tone, so sharp and crisp. The younger boy had never spoken to her this way before. Her eyes melted over the glaring red wound on his cheek. It looked pretty bad, and swollen too. _He has every right to be upset_, she told herself firmly. _I threw an egg at his face. If it were me in his place, I would have me assassinated. Although I'm not important enough to be assassinated. So I would probably hire a hit man. Or do the deed myself. But that's beside the point!_

The reason why she'd thrown the egg shot back at her. When she had made the visit she was already having a terrible day. She'd gotten a failing grade on her term paper and she'd had an argument with her mom. She went to Shigure's house to find solace in the colorful occupants of the noisy, sunny home. But forgetful girl that she was, she had forgotten that Yuki would probably be there as well. Fortunately, at the time he wasn't home. He had gone to the supermarket to buy some milk. She knew this because of the bulging white plastic bag in his hand when he walked towards the entrance. Kagura had decided to be civil, reign in her fiery temper despite his frosty disposition towards her as of late, and say hello to him. After two weeks of silence, the game was getting old. It was time for them to act their ages and get past this, work it out, something.

And what did he do? He brushed past her like she was nothing! He even knocked her over and now her left ankle was sprained. Okay, it _might_ be sprained, she didn't know for sure, but it hurt like a bitch, even if it wasn't severely injured. All Kagura knew was that on top of her crappy grades and her mom getting on her case about something or other, she had to go bother Hatori about her ankle. Oh, she was a pissed Sohma then, and the Sohma temper was nothing to fuck with.

She hadn't made the egg solely to throw at Yuki. No, Kagura was irrational but she was not an animal. She had boiled the egg because she was genuinely hungry. It wasn't a good idea to skip meals but she was on a diet. Eggs got a bad rap for being fattening, but right then and there she decided, _Screw the diet_. So she set upon the task of widening her waistline. No one would care anyway. It wasn't like she had a boyfriend to impress or anything. She filled the little pot with water and turned on the gas. Despite her lack of culinary skills, Kagura knew she could handle a boiled egg. She figured this would be a piece of cake. But when she picked up the pot to scoop out her boiled egg, she burned herself and dropped the still hot pot on her toe! Boiling water emptied out over the same foot that carried a banged up ankle above it. Tears gushed forth from Kagura's eyes, but she bit down hard on her lip to muffle the scream, so hard she tasted blood.

So now her lip was throbbing, her ankle was aching, her foot was half-burnt and sore and her thumb had been barbequed. That on top of her educational and personal issues had been too much for sensitive Kagura to take. (Oh, now that she thought about it, her mom was getting on her case about her grades. Huh. Go figure.)

The egg was cracked and a bit of crumbling egg white was showing. Choking back her pain, she picked up the extremely hot egg and put it in a little dish. She would eat this egg like a proper lady with her family, whether Yuki was there or not. She mopped up the water and rubbed some salve on her sizzling thumb. She dried off her foot and grabbed a spoon. She would go into the living room with grace and dignity. Yuki Sohma would not defeat her under any circumstances.

But when she went in, she felt out of place and angry. Tohru glided down the stairs, looking so pretty and perfect. Her hair wasn't a mess like hers and her jeans weren't soaked and brushed with dirt like hers either. She wasn't even wearing jeans. She was wearing a perfect, pretty pink dress.

Tohru went up to her and asked why she was wet and dirty, if she wanted to borrow her clothes, all of that but Kagura wasn't listening. Giving up after a long, looooonnngggg time, the optimist reluctantly trudged into the kitchen to get some riceballs. Yuki's eyes adoringly went after her. It did something weird to her stomach.

And then she came back in. She offered her a riceball, but Kagura declined, gesturing to her egg. Seeing his smiling, laughing face, cooing over something Tohru was saying, made her feel jealous and sick. He was acting like she wasn't even there! Not once had he even given her even a hint of acknowledgement. Well she'd make him look at her!

And that was when the egg fiasco began.

Really, Kagura's arm had moved on its own. She was so angry that she didn't even understand what she was doing until it was too late and the egg hurtled towards Yuki's cheek. She couldn't take it back and she was really sorry it had happened, but shit, if he would just_ look_ at her…

"Well? I said what do you want?"

Kagura flinched. His angry voice dragged back into the present by the ankle. He almost sounded like Kyo, the old Kyo. Kagura stiffened. The ice pack in her hand was melting but she didn't care. Let him wait. The asshole.

"You want me to smack that cheek again?"

Yuki towered over her menacingly even though he wouldn't lay a hand on her. "Is that a threat?"

"It's not a threat. I don't threaten. I make vows!"

"Oh, so you vow to slap my face?" he asked lightly. She detected a bit of disdain in his voice.

"Oh, so you're making fun of me? Am I a little kid?"

Yuki closed his eyes and sighed. He really didn't want to get into this with her. He wanted to talk to her, not put her down or insult her. Insulting her only made her defensive instead of willing to work things out.

"No, Kagura, you're not a little kid, but you're acting like one."

"I'm acting like one?! What, and giving me the silent treatment is so adult of you? Get over yourself, Yuki." She elevated her chin. When had he gotten so tall? And he smelled so good… But Kagura shook her head. Thinking about his physical attributes, pleasing as they were, wasn't conductive to her anger. She had dozens of choice words for the uppity asshole, but she let her eyes do the talking. _Eat shit and die._

Yuki flinched. He knew that look. He wasn't personally acquainted with it, but it had been shot at Tohru many times the first time the two ladies met each other and Kagura had considered the optimist her Love Rival. Even though the gazes hadn't been directed at him, Yuki remembered feeling chills.

He'd tried being patient but this was too much. _She _had thrown the egg at him, and she had the nerve to snap at him. He was the one with the banged up cheek, not her. And for what? For not playing with Little Kagura? What gave her the right to get angry at him for no damn reason? She had a lot of nerve. Yuki was a good guy and he didn't like making girls cry or angering them, but he wasn't a push-over. She would soon learn that if she provoked him, he'd push back just as hard.

"What? Get over myself?! I'm not the one speaking in questions! If you have something to say, then say it."

"You want me to say it?! Okay then, I will!!" Kagura's heart rate was sky-rocketing and color infiltrated her face. Her breath came and went in ragged installments. She balled her hands into fists. Screw Yuki's face. With the way he was acting, Kagura didn't give two shits of a fuck. He wanted to be childish? Fine. She'd be just as immature. "I'm tired of the way you treated me!! The way you're still treating me!! Everything was just fine one day and then **_BAM!_** everything's shit! You wouldn't talk to me, you wouldn't hang around me, you wouldn't even look at me! So _**excuse**_ me, Prince Yuki, if my behavior displeases you. I sincerely apologize!!" Kagura stepped back and made a show of curtsying. Her left ankle protested but she ignored it. When she came back up, she made it a point to smirk.

"Throwing eggs at people isn't my idea of model behavior," he spat, gemmy eyes that were usually so soft and peaceful now hard and uncaring.

Kagura lifted an eyebrow. "I don't give a flying fuck what you think. Act like a man for once and maybe I'll respect your opinion," she answered coolly. She smiled. She got a vindictive kick out of watching Yuki's whole face, even his ears, turn beet red. The boy ground his teeth, glaring hatefully at Kagura, which of course only made her smile even wider. Once she changed tactics and assumed the role of _"Fuck you, I'm older"_ adult, Yuki became a little boy. Now he was the foolish one storming about, throwing a temper tantrum like a two-year-old.

Yuki uncurled his hands and struggled to regain what was left of his cool. By that satisfied smirk, he knew Kagura had the upper hand and wasn't too proud to flaunt it. The only way to beat her at her own game was to not give her what she wanted. What she was saying wasn't what she really meant. Kagura said she wanted him to be a man, but what she really wanted was for him to scream and yell and raise hell. That way, she could fold her arms over her chest and shake her head, smiling that "_Isn't he adorable?"_ smile, and she would end up being the mature, superior one in this epic verbal war. He took a deep breath, closed his eyes, slowly counted backwards, and let it out all in one whoosh. Now that he thought about it, Kagura's strategy was similar to Kyo's, excluding the changing tactics thing. He wasn't smart enough for such sophisticated methods, and anyway, goading was more his style. It was the only thing he could do. _Yes_, Yuki thought as he slowly smiled._ This is just like a fight with Kyo, so I should treat it as such. _

Kagura was a little taken aback but didn't let it show. Rule number one of winning an argument: don't let him see you sweat. She would defend herself with every scream her voice provided. And the girl could scream.

But before any of them could employ their brand-new strategies, a person appeared in the doorway. It was understandable that during all of this commotion, and in the bathroom no less, someone would come upstairs to investigate.

The intervention came in the form of a shocked Shigure. His brown eyes were wide and his mouth was agape as he stood in the hallway. And it was with good reason. Not only was Yuki, _the_ Prince Yuki, gentleman to every woman and almost as patient as Hatori, yelling, but his hands were ground into fists and his face was flushed. He looked furious. And Kagura looked just as angry, if not more.

They whipped rage-filled eyes at the novelist. "WHAT?!" they barked.

Shigure would've leered, raised an eyebrow and said "What are you guys doing in the bathroom?" or something along those perverted lines, but all of his teasing died in his throat. Besides, he was too scared. And he had to pee. Shigure gave a little chuckle as he lightly squeezed his legs together. "Gotta use the Little Boys' Room," he offered weakly.

Kagura lifted her chin and smiled at him. Just because someone had interrupted them didn't mean the argument had to end so soon in this particular spot. Slowly she switched her way to Shigure, who was stepping back (and for good reason: her forehead was painted with a stream of dried blood and her hair was a mess). Her ankle argued with her and even her injured foot was getting into the fray but she didn't heed both of their differences. She leaned in slightly and roughly seized him by the front of his yukata.

"Kagura, stop scaring Shigure," Yuki ordered. He looked away to give a dry laugh to the wall. "You're not looking your best right now." But inside he was feeling sick. His skin felt odd and clammy. When he darted a look at himself in the mirror, he noticed his angry red flush had departed for white twinged with a sickly green.

"Little Boys' Room is right," she trilled, darting a withering glance back at her ex. "I'm tired of younger men." She smeared a flirty smile over her lips, still glaring at Yuki. Then she looked at Shigure. "Let's have sex," she dead-panned, eyebrow raised.

"What?!" Yuki stormed. A blood-red blush smeared itself over both cheeks as he widened his eyes. He had no idea Kagura could be so brazen. Talking so openly and casually about that… that thing was unbelievable. Not only that, but the idea of the two of them having—doing—engaging in intercourse was… awful. Yuki grimaced. No, not even softening the act with safe cushy words was working. An unpleasant mental image came to mind. He felt as if he'd been kicked in the groin and crucified. Yuki wrapped his arms around his stomach.

But Kagura saw none of this. She was too high off her win. _Yes!_ she jeered when she heard his incredulous exclamation. Shigure's weak excuse of having to go write his novel was barely heard above her mental cheers. When he moved away, Kagura slung an arm around his waist and yanked him in. "Leave and you die," she murmured from the side of her mouth.

Poor Shigure was in a pickle. If he stayed, he risked getting beaten and castrated by Yuki, martial arts extraordinaire. If he left, he risked getting creamed by Kagura, lover of extreme and unnecessary violence and also somewhat of a martial artist virtuoso. Kagura-fu, that was what she specialized in: a plethora of battle techniques too horrific and strange to be of this world.

Shigure gently nudged at her hand. Better to have Kagura mad at him than Yuki. Not because he was sexist or anything, but because the male looked like he might like to make sure Shigure and Kagura didn't do anything vulgar with each other permanently after he shook off his dazed mood. And he was quite fond of his southern friend, thank you very much. Kagura wouldn't touch him there. Maybe kick him, but not take a blade to him. And so, with some incoherent excuse, he slipped away. _All _of him, and who was it thanks to? Why, him and his quick-thinking writing prowess, of course!

Shigure hummed as he skipped downstairs to congratulate himself on getting out of there alive the only way he could: with Tohru's delicious leftover riceballs! (Ah, he'd tell someone about the massacre later.) As for his bathroom problems… well, he didn't really have to pee so much anymore; the urine had dried up inside him due to fright. Funny since fear usually makes people want to piss their pants.

Meanwhile, the two were still at a stand-off upstairs.

Yuki couldn't rid himself of the shivery squeamishness that enveloped him. Sure, imagining Shigure having sex with anyone was enough to make him want to hurl, but for some reason, the thought of Kagura with that guy bothered him the most. But why? He was angry with her. They were at odds with each other. He didn't love her in any way but as a cousin (though that love was really being tested right now). So why couldn't he shake off this feeling? It just didn't make sense.

"You really would?"

Kagura blinked. She was caught off-guard by his soft voice. But she wasn't tallying this up as an advantage for either side. She had slid the argument to the back of her mind just for a second to really look at him. Now that Shigure wasn't there, she saw how sick he looked. His face was greenish-white save for his injury and his eyes were wide and shocked. Her anger wavered. She didn't want to really make him feel ill. A gnawing feeling called guilt chewed at the lining of her stomach, but she spoke above the nausea.

"What?" she asked cautiously.

Yuki stepped forward. "Would you really… with Shigure, would you really-- sleep with him?"

Bile rose in Kagura's throat. She had wanted to make him jealous but she hadn't thought he would actually put it past her. What kind of woman did he think she was? Did he think she was loose? Tears constructed building blocks in her eyes but she wouldn't let him see her cry. She turned her face into the most blistering mask of scorn and bewilderment he had ever seen. Lips trembling, she tried to maneuver her voice over the river of tears. "We're not together, so it's not considered cheating." Too late. Her voice was starting to drown. Hiccupping, she choked out, "If you think I'm that kind of woman, you must not know me very well." She threw the ice pack, now filled with only a few ice chunks and bloated with water, at his feet. "You know, I came up here to take care of your wound and to apologize. But now, I'm really glad I didn't."

She didn't wait for him to watch the complete collapse of her self-control.


	3. Boiled Eggs

The conclusion of _Kagura no Tamago_. Enjoy, dear readers, and thank you, reviewers!!

Disclaimer: I don't own Fruits Basket.

X X X X X

Yuki sighed as he went into the kitchen. A gloomy pallor had descended over the household so that everyone was grim and quiet. Even rambunctious Kyo was subdued. Even Tohru had lost her sunshine. Even perverted jokester Shigure, who wouldn't meet his eyes and always walked away very fast when Yuki was in sight, was quiet.

Now Yuki knew how annoying it was to be avoided. In fact, he was beginning to understand a lot of things. A week had passed since their big blow-up in the bathroom. This time, Kagura was the one blowing him off. But it was in a major way: she wasn't visiting Shigure's house anymore. He even tried to get to her at the Main house but Rin would always say she was out shopping or busy at the moment. She was protecting the emotional girl, he knew. No one did so much in such a short amount of time.

Her confession swirled in his mind as he sat down. She had come to apologize to him. She had even brought an ice pack. He hadn't even noticed. _Why didn't I notice?_

Two lime-green slippered feet stepped into his line of vision. Yuki picked his eyes up to the brunette's face.

"Um… Someone's here to visit you," Tohru said timidly.

Yuki scrunched up his eyebrows in confusion. Who could it possibly be this early in the morning? It couldn't be Kagura; she was still mad, and rightfully so.

"Will you see her?" she squeaked.

_Kagura._ He didn't want to jump to conclusions but it could only be her. Tohru wouldn't look so frightened if it wasn't. She was concerned another argument would ensue if the two came face-to-face again. He sighed. He'd try not to get himself hurled down a flight of stairs, although who knew when it came to Kagura. But this was a good sign, her wanting to see him. He would endure every tearful yell she had to offer. He just wanted to apologize and pray to God she'd forgive him.

Yuki nodded. Tohru stepped back and Kagura walked in.

His heart ached. Her hair was carefully brushed back from her face in a ponytail and wisps from the crown of her head curled by her face. She was dressed in red shorts and a t-shirt. For such a casual look, Yuki thought she looked beautiful.

Unsmiling, Kagura lifted a hand in greeting. "Hey," she said tonelessly. Her hand flopped back to her side.

Safe enough. Yuki could deal with that. He tried a smile. It felt funny on his lips so he dropped it. "Hello," he replied in the same monotone. "How are you?"

Kagura winced. The awkward strangers talk. Nevertheless, she managed an, "I'm doing fine. You?"

"Okay." Awkward silence. "Want to sit down?"

Kagura cocked her head to the side. "Sounds fine." She was about to pull out the chair but Yuki jumped up and did it for her. Startled, she gave him a queer look. They looked down. Their hands were mating over the cherrywood. With a squeak, Kagura pulled her hand out from under his, holding it as if it were injured. She blushed as red as her shorts. Yuki did likewise.

Mouthing a "Thank you," Kagura sat down. She sighed, locking eyes with the uncomfortable Yuki. "I came here to give you a chance to apologize," she revealed quietly.

"What?" he asked loudly. But not angrily. Just in bewilderment.

"I think we both said some things we shouldn't have. And we both acted childish. I'm sorry, Yun-chan, for getting mad at you. I was having a bad day and with you avoiding me and my own problems, I just snapped. That's no excuse, I know, but I just wanted to apologize. If you forgive me, that's great. If you don't, I understand."

Kagura stood.

Yuki grabbed her wrist. "Wait."

Kagura smiled. "I'm not going anywhere," she said softly. "I'm gonna make some eggs." She went to the fridge. "You want a boiled egg?" She grinned at him from around the refrigerator door. "If there's one thing I can do, it's boil some eggs."

"Sure."

"One or two?"

"Two."

Yuki frowned as he watched her walk over to the pots and pans. There was something off about her walk.

"Are you okay?"

She waved off his concern. "I'm fine."

"No. Your walk." He stood. "You're limping, aren't you?" His eyes slid down to her ankle. Her sock bulged.

"It's just sprained."

"Sprained? When did that happen?"

Kagura looked down. "When you pushed me."

"What?"

"When you pushed past me. That day. I fell on my ankle kinda weird. But it's fine!" she tried to convince him. "Haa-kun just put bandages over it to be cautious. You know him," she joked lightly, sticking out her tongue. "He's such a worrywart."

When Kagura turned around, Yuki was in front of her. "Let me."

"No, it's okay. I'm not deathly injured."

"Kagura."

She sighed. "Okay." She handed him the eggs.

Yuki went through the necessary preparations. Even Kyo the simpleton could make eggs, so it wasn't hard at all for him. Plus he had the added advantage of having more brain cells. When he was done, he sat down.

"I'm sorry," he said. And he really meant it. He felt awful that he was the reason her ankle was hurt. He had avoided her to help her, not to cause her pain. "I want to hear all about that day."

She was shocked. "Really?"

"Yes. Tell me everything. Don't leave out a single detail."

And Kagura didn't. Hesitantly she started but once she was really into the storytelling, she came alive. She was so animated that she had him frowning in some parts and laughing in some places. He couldn't help thinking how cute she was. By the time she was done, her eyes gleamed and her skin glowed. He was glad.

"I'm sorry," he said again, squeezing her hands. The moment was ruined by the timer.

"I'll get that!" Yuki shouted before she could even open her mouth. Two dishes and spoons later, they were seated with their eggs before them. Kagura started to peel her egg but Yuki grabbed it. "I'll peel your egg," he said smilingly. Kagura smiled as she watched his short fingernails struggle to get rid of the outer shell. But after awhile, he made short work out of the stubborn surface. Only the rubbery inside remained, along with some of the thin stretchy skin. He did the same with her second egg before working on his own.

Kagura took a spoonful out of Yuki's dish and held it to his lips. "Eat," she urged.

Yuki smiled. He did as she wished.

"Yuki… I have a confession. Please just listen, okay? This is something I've wanted to say for a long time. When you ignored me, I felt like shit, but now that I think about it, I've received my just desserts." She fed him another spoonful of seasoned egg.

"When we first started going out, we were both lovelorn, but I used you, Yun-chan. At first, I was really hurting and grateful you were there for me. But when I got over Kyo, I kept you chained to my side. I liked feeling needed and wanted, and you were so loving, so good to me. So I held your hand, thinking I'd won because I'd gotten over my lost love first. I even began to look down on you." Kagura averted her face in shame. "I'm so sorry, Yun-chan. I never meant to hurt you. You know about my love for Kyo, right? How it was forced so that I could redeem myself. Well, with you, I think it was the same way."

"Kagura… I knew."

She looked up in surprise. "You knew?"

He nodded. "Do you think you're the only one who can use, Kagura? Now I have my own little confession. When I lost Machi, I felt so dirty and ashamed. I forced our love to continue when it had died long ago. And then there was you, who despite your torment was so strong. I wanted that so much that I used any excuse to be around you. You leaned into me and before long became my support. I clung to you, trying to suck your secret to happiness out of you. And when you were no longer of any use to me, I'd just throw you away.

"When I avoided you, it wasn't because I hated you or because I thought you'd fulfilled your purpose. It was because my conscience kicked in and told me it was wrong to exploit you. To use you for my own selfish reasons… I couldn't stand that. I'm really sorry, Kagura. I could say I never wanted to hurt you, but that would be a lie. I think a little part of me wanted you to hurt just as much as me."

Kagura looked down with a sad smile. "We were both really bad to each other, huh. I don't think your reason for being with me was half as bad as mine. You had reason to do what you did. And I'm responsible for the argument. I never should've lashed out at you so childishly. I should've handled things like an adult." She tentatively touched his cheek. The mark was very faint but still there. "I'm sorry I yelled at you. I'm sorry I called you a child. I'm sorry I threw my egg at you."

Yuki chuckled. "It'll make a great story to tell our grandchildren."

Kagura blushed. "What?"

Yuki stiffened. He'd assumed she'd just take him back and forgive him. And what was up with that grandchildren thing? Yuki blushed. His heart pounded. The sunlight fell on her dark hair and formed a dark red halo over the loose strands of near-black hair. Her eyes glowed and her face was a pretty rose shade.

That's when he knew he loved her.

"Yuki? Something wrong?"

"Huh? Oh, no." Yuki shook his head no. "Nothing's wrong." He couldn't tell her that he admired her strength, that he'd felt sick when he pictured her being Shigure's lover, that he felt he could die for her. It was all too much and how could she love him? He had yelled at her, made her hurt her ankle, had injured her to the very core. He didn't deserve her and she didn't need a guy like him. He should just forget it.

Kagura sighed inside. That grandchildren thing had startled her quite a bit but he must not have meant it. And anyway, how could he love her? She was unpredictable and stubborn. She had thrown an egg at his face and acted like a child. She'd made him worry and was causing him problems even now. No, she didn't deserve him and he didn't need a girl like her. She should just forget it.

"Uh, Kagura--"

"Yuki--"

A blushing silence.

"You go ahead," Yuki offered.

"No, you."

"Uh... Well, I was wondering... Do you want to... uh... go out sometime?"

"Eh? Why?"

Another blush. He swiped his eyes away. "Because... well... I--" The words froze on his tongue. Hadn't he told himself he didn't deserve her? And now he wanted to confess his love? He couldn't be more selfish! But he decided to tell her. After all, she had lived with unreturned love for most of her life. Every "I love you!" she screamed was met with rejection and "I hate you!" The clear-eyed girl came to mind. If Kagura could weather all of that and still stand tall, then he could deal with her rejection. Any answer she gave he would face with strength and grace.

"I--"

"Yuki, wait!!"

He stopped, heart pounding like a jackhammer. "Yes?" he wheezed.

"I'm sorry to interrupt, but..." She held up one of her uneaten eggs between her thumb and forefinger. "I have something to say." When she was silent, Yuki urged her to go on.

Finally she blurted it out. "Yuki, you're like an egg!"

Silence.

"Ex--Excuse me?"

Determined, she went on, "You had a shell that seems hard at first, but is really kinda fragile. And there's the weak skin underneath, but that's just another layer. Then comes the egg white, but that's also another barrier over your egg yolk heart!" She lay the egg back in the bowl and took up a spoon. Holding it high above the egg, she said, "And with my spoon I will cut through all the layers to get to the creamy yolk!"

_Chop._

The egg--Yuki's alter ego--perfectly spliced in two. The chalky yolk beamed up at him, two small yellow circles surrounded by white.

Silence. More silence. Silence again. Then--

"Ahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaaaaaa!!"

Kagura rushed up with a start. "Y--you're laughing at me!" she accused with a shaking finger. "You promised not to laugh!"

Tears still swam in his eyes. He opened them. His stomach hurt but he just kept on laughing. "I didn't promise not to laugh! Oh, it's too funny!" He stopped to catch his breath. "So you're gonna cut through me to my heart with a spoon?" he asked as he lifted himself a little out of his seat to lean in closer. "I hope not. That's too dangerous."

"You really are making fun of me!!" she cried, half-laughing. "You shouldn't be so cruel!"

His hand curled around her ear. They were extremely close now, so close he could smell the egg on her breath. And oddly enough, he didn't mind.

"You shouldn't be so cute," he replied before devouring her salty mouth. When he pulled away, she glowed bright red. Immediately she kissed him back. Soft egg-seasoned mouths merged over and over and over. Her lips moved on to other regions: his forehead, his ear, his earlobe, his chin, his neck. Likewise he sprinkled kisses all over her skin to make up for any and every harsh word he had uttered. For every cry, every scream, every moment of self-doubt he'd made her go through, he had a kiss for everything. He chuckled as she kissed his nearly-healed cheek repeatedly, murmuring an "I'm sorry" every time her lips touched it.

"You have to kiss me for every time you hurt me," he half-joked. He gazed into her eyes. "And for saying you'd be Shigure's lover," he added with a devilish grin. "A hundred kisses."

"Gladly." Kiss, kiss, kiss, kiss. "Yun-chan, you're my egg."

He laughed. "You're the egg. My egg. But not a boiled one. One that'll hatch into a cute chick."

Kagura pulled away. "You're a chick too," she sniggered.

He swatted at her head with a forgiving hand. "Copycat."

"My, my, what is this? Are you two all lovey-lovey now?" Both heads turned at the faux-shocked face of Shigure, the household tormentor. He pinched his nose. "Ugh! What is this?! Smelly rotten eggy eggs!! And you--! Youuuuuu... You've been making out!"

"Shigure," Yuki said sternly. Too bad his mouth was smiling.

Shigure turned around. "Tohru-kun, Kyo-kun, come quick!! This is true love: kissing when your partner's breath reeks of the most foul scent known to man: rotten eggs!!"

Grey eyes met violet. Twin devilish smiles spread over their faces. They looked at their noisy intruder.

"Shigure...," Yuki cooed as he made his way to him

"Shii-chan...," Kagura said sweetly as she inched towards him.

Shigure backed away, eyes darting from each person in worry. "Uh... Guys? What do you think you're doing...?"

**"LET'S BREATHE ON HIM!!"**

"Ahhhhhh!!" Shigure screamed like a little girl, flinging the newspaper in his hands to the ceiling and running as fast as he could.

Hand-in-hand, the twosome fouled the air with their laughter and heavy breathing.

Together for always, the mischievous eggs.


End file.
